


So Sweet to You, So Sweet to Me

by kkslover9



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, M/M, Male Character of Color, New Years
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-18 19:06:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3580563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkslover9/pseuds/kkslover9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being injured is difficult, especially when Atsuto can’t join the national team as they defend their title as Asian champions. However, this prompts his first Christmas and New Year’s in Germany and with Julian by his side, maybe everything will be all right.</p>
            </blockquote>





	So Sweet to You, So Sweet to Me

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is wonderfully accompanied by a super adorable mix by the very lovely ascience, who also made the cute banner and tiles separating the parts. I loved working with them and I think this collab came out pretty freaking awesome! So I hope you enjoy it as well. You can click through the cute mix album cover to get to it.
> 
> Also a huge thank you to thisperfectsymmetry for a lovely beta job!
> 
> And of course thank you to Noam for encouraging my Draxchida. Haha. I suppose this fic is dedicated to you. It's not angsty but I hope you like it.

  
[ ](http://8tracks.com/ascience/sweet)

[sweet](http://8tracks.com/ascience/sweet?utm_medium=trax_embed) from [ascience](http://8tracks.com/ascience?utm_medium=trax_embed) on [8tracks Radio](http://8tracks.com?utm_medium=trax_embed).

Once again it’s his knee. It may be the usual injury, but that doesn’t make it anymore digestible. Although he plays against Hamburg, he’s had a busy year and it’s probably advisable if he stays home, Aguirre says. Schalke doesn’t argue. They won’t send a player out to possible injury at an international tournament against advice, and Atsuto doesn’t argue because he can’t win when both club and country don’t want him to go. He can hear the definite tone of Aguirre’s voice and maybe he can feel a bit of discomfort in his knee at that very moment. It’s “Yes, Sir” and an automatic self-pitying bow with the phone to his ear before he hangs up.

He cancels his flight the next day on impulse: a slightly bitter impulse that he should stay in Germany and rest his injury. It surprises him and then his mother when he calls home to say he won’t be visiting for the Bundesliga break. She’s upset that he won’t be able to visit the shrine with them for New Year’s, but she eventually relents when he insists that it would be better for his injury in Germany. Here, he has access to the club’s facilities so that they can monitor him themselves, and he promises to order osechi so that he can have at least some of the tradition of Japan with him over the break.

Next, he calls Julian, who sounds as surprised as his mother, but infinitely happier.

“So you’ll be here for Christmas?” 

“And New Year’s Day.”

There’s a moment of silence. 

“Sorry,” Julian says, “I was smiling so much I couldn’t speak.”

Atsuto laughs softly, his mood suddenly improved. He can imagine Julian’s carefree smile, and that indescribable, unmistakable feeling of love spreads throughout his chest. It had started as a rash and stubborn impulse, but he feels like maybe it was a good idea. 

They make plans to spend the 25th and New Year’s Eve and Day together. Julian manages to get the 25th out of his mother when he explains that he doesn’t want Atsuto to be lonely on his first Christmas in Germany. Since he’s going to be home for Heiligabend anyway, she agrees. Julian relays this information over the phone happily and tells Atsuto they’re going to be watching Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel and drinking Glühwein and there’s nothing he can do about it.

  


Christmas

Atsuto smiles and then catches himself, before wryly shaking his head. Twenty-six is too old to be lovesick, isn’t it? Then he laughs and ruffles his own hair because now he sounds like an old man. He gets up from the couch and plugs in the tree. The lights are bright and light up the room. There’s one gift under the tree and it’s a small box wrapped in S04 paper. He’s not the best at thinking up presents but he hopes it’s all right even if it’s a bit simple.

The doorbell rings, interrupting his thoughts. A huge smile greets him when he answers. He steps aside and lets Julian in. He’s slightly damp from the rain outside. Atsuto offers to get a towel to dry him off, but Julian stops him with a hug. Atsuto hugs him back, taking in the clean scent of Julian’s shirt. 

“I don’t think I wanna let you go.” 

Atsuto smiles at the whiney tone of his voice. He would more than love to comply, but standing like this the entire night isn’t exactly an exciting thought. Not to mention, Julian is still holding the bags that he came in with. 

“At least put down your bags,” he says.

Julian lets out an exasperated breath but releases Atsuto. “I brought the Glühwein!” He holds up the bag in his right hand, mood joyful once more. “All we have to do is heat it up.” He takes off his jacket and moves into the kitchen.

Atsuto follows him with a smile, infected by Julian’s happy mood. 

“I need a pot.”

“The bottom right drawer, I think.”

“You think?” Julian looks at him skeptically.

Atsuto scowls and it earns him a laugh at his expense. He’s right, of course. He does know where the few cooking appliances in his kitchen are even though he doesn’t really cook for himself. 

The Glühwein is readymade thanks to Julian’s mother, and it only takes a moment for them to heat it up and fill two mugs. 

Julian takes a sip and lets out an injured whine. “It’s too hot.”

The look on Julian’s face is one of genuine disappointment, as though he hadn’t expected the fresh-off-the-stove Glühwein to scald his tongue. His expression becomes slightly embarrassed when Atsuto starts to laugh and Julian pushes him lightly in retaliation. 

“Don’t laugh at my pain.”

Atsuto struggles but manages to reduce his laughter to a smile. He moves forward and kisses Julian’s frowning lips, slipping his tongue in to rest gently against Julian’s burnt one. When he pulls away, Julian grabs his forearm and peers into Atsuto’s face.

“Can you do that again?” Julian manages the question with only a hint of a blush.

With a nod, Atsuto repeats the kiss. It’s even deeper than the last and he has to consciously remember to hold his mug upright. 

They finally part after a few moments. Atsuto’s body feels lax and he can’t pull his gaze from Julian’s. Julian stares at him with an intensity that makes his heart pound.

“We should sit down,” Atsuto says eventually, finally easing the mood.

Julian nods and takes Atsuto’s free hand in his before they leave the kitchen for the living room. 

They collect the DVD that Julian brought on their way then get settled in the living room. The movie is in German, of course, and there are no Japanese subtitles. The German cult classic never made it quite that far. Julian puts on German subtitles to help Atsuto a bit. Considering that he’s been in Germany nearly five years, he should be able to handle this much, but languages have never been his strong point. His mind is always filled with football.

Julian holds his hand as the film begins. After a few minutes, he asks if Atsuto understood everything and smiles when Atsuto shrugs and mumbles a “not really.” He gives Atsuto little synopses each few scenes. 

“You don’t have to do that,” Atsuto says eventually, feeling embarrassed.

“I don’t mind,” Julian says squeezing his hand and turning to face him. “I like it, I think. Helping you out.”

The movie is playing still but Julian stays watching him even after he’s done speaking and Atsuto can’t look away from the soft gaze. He can feel his heartbeat slowly increasing and the movie suddenly seems far away when Julian finally leans in and kisses him, long and slow and spicy like the Glühwein they’ve been drinking. 

“Julian,” Atsuto says breathily as they come apart.

“You’re so cute.”

Atsuto blushes. He hears it a lot from girls and guys alike and he’s mostly given up on trying to dispel the image, but coming from Julian it’s embarrassing in a good way that makes his heart flutter.

Julian kisses him again and presses him down into the couch. Atsuto shifts himself so that he’s under Julian, their legs entwined. 

“The movie . . .” Atsuto says it only teasingly, but it’s adorable how Julian raises himself up and looks at the TV then down to Atsuto guiltily. 

“Can we watch it later?” Julian is the one blushing now.

Atsuto smiles and nods. He briefly wonders how one person can make so many wonderful faces and make him weak. Julian grins and stretches over for the remote to pause the DVD. Atsuto waits for him and listens as the room becomes silent except for the pattering of soft rain from outside. 

“And after I was the one that said we would watch it and everything,” Julian says still looking embarrassed.

“Well, actually, I’d rather kiss you,” Atsuto says.

He gets another flash of Julian’s grin before they kiss once again.

  


New Year's

Julian’s great idea for breaking in the New Year is to marathon Dragonball Z. He has the DVDs with German subtitles and the original Japanese audio. It does help Atsuto’s German to see the words on the screen while listening to words he can understand, but most of the time, he ends up ignoring them and looking over at Julian, whose feet are drawn up onto the couch with his chin resting on his knees, looking at the TV like he’s never seen the show before. It’s cute and Atsuto smiles.

Julian notices him staring and gives him a questioning look.

“It’s cute how you’re so into it,” Atsuto says, wrapping his arms around Julian’s neck and pulling him over on top of him.

Julian doesn’t protest. He seemingly forgets all about the show and twists himself so that he’s lying onto Atsuto, straddling one of his legs and looking down at him while bracing his arms around his head.

Atsuto smiles brightly and is happy to get Julian’s smile in return. He loves that huge smile that’s like the sun shining down on him. Julian closes the distance between their faces and kisses him. He closes his eyes and savours the pressure of Julian’s lips down on his own. When they part, he sighs contentedly and opens his eyes slowly.

Julian gazes down softly at him, his cheeks tinged with pink. “Ah, I really love you.”

The words make his heart beat faster and he can’t stop his lips from curling into another smile. “I really love you too, Schatzi,” he says with a little laugh.

Julian brings his head down to rest on Atsuto’s shoulder. “Don’t tease me.” It’s a mumble and Atsuto only just makes it out.

He forces down another laugh and brings his hands up to caress Julian’s hair. “I didn’t mean it like that at all.”

Julian rises once more and stares down at Atsuto seriously, brows furrowed slightly in worry. “I always try to act like an adult when I’m with you, but I feel like I’m failing every time.”

Atsuto smiles gently and pulls Julian back down so that he’s hugging him and can speak softly into his ear. He remembers all the times he’s felt like an absolute teenager when it came to his feelings for Julian. The way he gets happy over the silliest things when it comes to him and the way his mind seems to revolve around this boy as though he’s never been in love before. 

“I feel the same way.” 

“Really?” It’s more skeptical than surprised.

“I feel like I’m supposed to be an adult. I’m older. I should be making better decisions. But when it comes to you all I can be is selfish. I want to spend all my time with you and ignore all my other responsibilities.”

“Are you sure you’re twenty-six?”

Atsuto pulls on Julian’s hair. “What a cheeky child you are.”

Julian laughs hard. Atsuto can feel the tremors of his body as he lies on top of him and rests his face in the crook of Atsuto’s neck. Atsuto smiles and chuckles a bit himself. 

It takes a few moments for Julian to calm down. He randomly bursts back into laughter the first few times he’s able to stop, but he eventually stills, his breathing a bit heavy. He slides his arms under Atsuto’s back and squeezes him tightly. Atsuto squeezes back, enjoying the press of their bodies against each other.

“I should stop trying to watch movies and shows when I’m around you,” Julian says.

Atsuto grins and is about to laugh when Julian continues.

“Whenever I’m with you all I can think about is kissing and cuddling and screwing around.”

Atsuto blushes a bit. Even though they’ve just spent the last few minutes kissing with Julian on top of him, hearing Julian be so forward is still a little embarrassing. Though, if he’s telling the truth, that’s a large chunk of what he thinks about as well. 

“Me too,” he says quietly.

Julian raises his head and kisses him again. It’s a deep kiss that makes Atsuto feel like his soul is being drawn out of his body. It’s hot and it makes him hyper-aware of the body pressing down upon him. He arches up to press back and wraps his arms around Julian’s neck. 

Julian pulls away. Their breaths come shakily and warm against each other’s faces. 

“The sofa is too cramped,” Julian says before getting up and helping Atsuto up after him. His cheeks are red and he smiles with half-lidded eyes. Atsuto returns the smile and holds on tightly to Julian’s hand as he leads them to the bedroom.

When they fuck, most of the time it’s pure fun. Pushing and pulling and smiling and laughing as they get to know each other’s bodies better and better. There’s teasing and intoxicating light aggression and an overall light mood that Atsuto’s never experienced with anyone else. Atsuto likes that rough-and-tumble, like it’s a game where they both always win. But he likes it now as well, the way Julian looks at him a bit unsurely as he covers Atsuto with kisses and undresses him, and the way he smiles softly when Atsuto urges him to continue and presses his mouth to Atsuto’s skin once more.

The room is quiet except from their breathing, getting heavier by the moment and the occasional request that passes between them. “Do that again” or “Raise your hips a little for me.” Atsuto lies back and runs his hands over Julian’s neck and through his hair and he leaves marks all over his body that probably won’t all be gone by the time they leave for Doha. But that’s not important at the moment. All that matters is that Julian’s tongue is hot against his skin and that his hands are warm as they caress their way down his sides and over his thighs and between his legs. He closes his eyes and gives himself over to be undone by the firm grasp of Julian’s hands and the engulfing heat of his willing mouth. 

Atsuto returns the favour by gently pushing Julian over. He leans over him and kisses him, allows Julian to open him up with his fingers as he moans into his mouth and rubs his body against Julian’s. His fingers are cool with lube, but Atsuto is dizzy from the heat of it all. His body is on fire and he loves it, craves it, craves the sounds that Julian makes as he kisses and bites his jaw and neck and ear lobe. And when he’s ready, Julian lies back with his hands on Atsuto’s hips and Atsuto takes in the look of ecstasy on Julian’s face as he lowers himself down. He’s glad that he can cause that look and the tightening on Julian’s grip. It goes slowly, almost lazily. He stops to give Julian a long, breathy kiss before continuing. His name on Julian’s lips is sweet and the headiness of every movement and feeling is so much, so good. He’s exhausted by the time he rolls off of Julian, who lies still panting, spent next to him.

They lie quietly for a while. Julian’s hand finds its way into his and they hold onto each other, keeping contact in their hazy sated stupors. 

An alarm interrupts them. Atsuto is startled by it and scrambles to get his phone, which has somehow ended up on the floor between the bed and bedside table.

“Happy New Year,” he says in Japanese, turning to Julian with a smile. He repeats it in German and then English for good measure even though he’s sure he sounds ridiculous in both. 

Julian grins and returns the greeting before jumping out of bed with a burst of sudden energy. “Let’s go outside,” he says as he hurries to pull on his clothes. 

Atsuto follows him and dresses so they can head out into the back yard. 

There are fireworks. He can hear them once they’re out of the bedroom, and he sees them once they step out into the cold night air. Julian tells him to wait and disappears into the house again. Atsuto looks up at the sky and watches the fireworks burst into sparks like ephemeral stars. Julian returns grinning with a bag in his hand, producing sparklers and a lighter from it. Atsuto laughs and takes a seat on the ground next to Julian who passes him a sparkler. They light them together. 

The only sounds are the shooting fireworks and then the crackling of the sparklers in their hands and occasional giggles as they wave them in the air and at each other. Atsuto’s face hurts from smiling by the time they’ve finished the pack. They lay back on the grass to watch the smoke dissipate from the last of the fireworks, taking in the coolness of the air and the grass against their heads, before going back into the warmth of Atsuto’s house.

 

Atsuto wakes up with the warmth of Julian at his back. He smiles to himself and wonders if he can make it out from under the covers without waking his bedmate. He begins to roll slowly to the edge of the bed, but an arm stops him. 

“Don’t go yet.” Julian’s voice is still heavy with sleep.

Atsuto lets himself be pulled back and places his hand over Julian’s as they press together, Julian’s forehead against his neck. It’s warm and comfortable and he’s about to give up on getting up when Julian whines behind him.

“I’m hungry,” Julian says.

It’s impossible for Atsuto to fight back the laugh that bursts out of him. Julian seems to be offended by his reaction and humphs indignantly while burrowing his face in the crook of Atsuto’s shoulder. It’s cute and childlike and Atsuto likes that Julian can act this way with him. 

“You were the one who stopped me from getting up,” Atsuto points out, rolling out of Julian’s arms once again.

Julian lets him go this time and Atsuto makes it out of bed. He turns back to look at Julian, his head covered with blankets and with no intention of following.

“Julian, get up. There’s osechi and ozoni and I want you to try it.”

Julian pokes his head out from under the bedding in interest and Atsuto smiles.

“Osechi?” 

Julian’s accent makes Atsuto want to kiss him. “It’s traditional Japanese food that we eat at New Year’s.” 

Julian’s face lights up and Atsuto is suddenly incredibly happy that he begged his usual cook until she agreed to make him last minute osechi. He wants to show Julian all the Japanese traditions the way Julian had shown him his German traditions. 

He climbs onto the bed once more and kisses Julian’s lips chastely. 

“Happy New Year, Schatzi.”

**Author's Note:**

> The wonderful queen, Amuro Namie, once again provided me with a wonderful fic title. If you’ve never listened to ["Sweet Kisses,"](http://www.jpopsuki.tv/video/Namie-Amuro---Sweet-Kisses/b9d0a1a25743ecc3781554627bc64f46) you should.


End file.
